THE new look Skipton Town Hall will be Craven District Council’s ‘legacy’ to residents, said the authority’s vice chairman.

Responding to praise for the hall, which will next month receive its official reopening following its £4.7m transformation, vice chairman, Councillor Simon Myers said it was something that the council could be proud of.

He said officers had been visionary with their plans for the hall, and the project had been supported by councillors every step of the way.

The hall, which attracted funding from several different sources, is still receiving grants, including the latest, from the Government’s Heritage Action Zone, which will pay for work to its facade.

Skipton ward councillor Chris Rose described at last week’s Policy Committee meeting how she and her two sisters, who live in London, were able to spend the whole day and evening at the hall.

They had attended a workshop visited the museum and in the evening had gone to a music event which had included a curry.

It had been an ‘unbelievably successful project’ she said, and added: “It is a magical place and does what it set out to do in buckets’.

Cllr Myers said: “Every member wanted to keep the hall and supported it every step of the way. Our officers have been visionary. The hall and museum will be a huge legacy from this council to the people of Craven.”